ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5356

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 20, 2025

      The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 5356.

      As amended by the committee, this bill permits county boards of elections to extend the distance within which electioneering is prohibited outside a polling place, room, or ballot drop box in use during the conduct of an election.

     Under current law, electioneering is prohibited inside any polling place or room, and within a distance of 100 feet of the outside entrance to a polling place or room, or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box in use during the conduct of an election.  This bill grants county boards of elections the discretion to extend the distance prohibiting electioneering to be within 200 feet of the outside entrance to any polling place or room, or of a ballot drop box in use during the conduct of an election within the county.  The bill requires county boards of elections to place a clear and conspicuous notice of the prohibition outside the polling place or room or ballot drop box prior to placing the prohibition into effect, including the penalties for any violation of the prohibition.  A person who violates an electioneering prohibition established by a county board of elections as provided under the bill will be guilty of a crime of the same degree as currently established for a violation of the 100 feet prohibition.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments make technical changes to the bill to update a section of the bill to its current law version.